


Like Real People Do

by MsLane



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, F/F, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-06
Updated: 2015-04-07
Packaged: 2018-03-21 14:46:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3696266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsLane/pseuds/MsLane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cafe AU.<br/>Imagine your OTP. One gets coffee from a coffee place when they're sad. The other notices and starts drawing on the cups to try and brighten their day. The one coming to the coffee place starts coming by just to see the other, instead of just when sad.</p><p>So, I thought I'd do my best with this. I don't usually write Root and Shaw; and this is very much an AU. They're about in their early twenties. Shaw works at a coffee place, and Root comes by for a pick me up on bad days.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"A flat white for - Root?" Sameen utters the name on the cup as a question, her eyes already scanning the area for the owner.

It's sort of a game for her, to try and match the order to the customer, simply from their appearance. She gives herself a mental pat on the back when she gets it right; she rarely gets it wrong.

Expecting to see an older man she's surprised when she sees a dejected looking brunette make her way up to the counter, her eyes downcast, with a frown on her face.

"Root?" Sameen asks, to be sure.

The young woman nods her head, her eyes barely flitting up to meet Sameen's.

Gingerly handing over the cup, Sameen goes back to make the next order, not giving much more of a thought to 'Root'.

'What kind of a name is Root anyways? Like, of all the things-' she mentally shakes her head and focuses entirely on getting the drinks right.

xox

The next time Sameen comes across the name, she's the one taking the order, and she glances up from the cup, her hand holding the pen against the cup, pausing after the 'R'.

"Root? As in, the square root of 8?" Sameen inquires, her voice gentler than what she was aiming for it to be.

The woman in front of her barely chuckles as she says, "Yes. Though, most people would assume root, as in, tree root." After she says this, her eyes fall away from Sameen's as she pulls out her money and hands it over.

Sameen nods, accepting that she doesn't want to converse. Normally, Sameen is the one who would be trying to have zero conversation with customers, so she can understand someone not wanting to talk.

It's a slow day in the shop, and there isn't anyone behind 'Root', so Sameen goes and fixes up her drink, and as she does so, she hesitates for a second. But then decides against doing anything and just calls out her name once the drink is ready.

"Root."

The woman steps over and mumbles a thank you, once again barely making eye contact with Sameen.

She watches as Root hesitates by the door, seemingly contemplating her next move before turning towards a table and taking a seat, facing the counter.

Rolling her eyes at herself, Sameen walks back to the cash register and waits diligently for the next customer.

Not at all glancing over towards Root every now and then and noticing how sad she seems, and only seeming to grow more disheartened as time goes on.

She is not being a stalker when she notices how Root's shoulders relax after her first sip of her drink, or how her eyes shut and she seems to be cleansing herself of the bad feelings she's harboring.

Sameen grins a little, thinking to herself how good her coffee making skills must be to warrant such a reaction from this woman.

"Hello, I'd like to place an order. It's a long one, so I'll go slow so I don't have to repeat myself and give you time to get it right the first time."

Sameen blinks and straightens up, eyes locking onto the smug looking man in front of her, "Don't worry. I think I can handle it."

She watches the smile drop from his face and feels immensely satisfied with herself after successfully delivering his drinks.

"Have a _great_ day." She says through a feral smile.

He smiles politely, "Thank you so very much-Sameen." He glances quickly to her nametag and back again.

By the time she's done with the next two customers, the intriguing and sad 'Root' is already gone.

xoxo

It occurs often enough that Sameen has memorized her order.

And Sameen also notices that Root only seems to come by when she's feeling low, and under no control of herself, Sameen finds herself feeling this pull to try and make her feel even just a little bit better.

The first time Sameen puts a little drawing beside Root's name, she promptly set the cup down on the counter and walked to the back to take her break, making it so that her co-worker was the one to call out the drink; Sameen had no desire to be anywhere near the vicinity when Root would walk up to claim her drink.

Sameen does hear from her co-worker that Root actually managed a smiled and seemed to have wanted to see her before leaving the establishment.

Sameen figured it was a one time, lack of impulse control, on her part.

The second time occurs a week later.

Root comes in near the end of Sameen's shift, looking pretty bad. Her eyes are bloodshot, nose red and her lips trapped between her teeth more often than not.

"Your usual?" Sameen asks, gesturing to John that she's got this, re-securing her apron around her midsection.

John gives her a look, clearly saying 'what's gotten into you,' knowing she never stays past her shift, but she just ignores him and focuses on the woman in front of her.

Root nods once, pulling out her wallet and seemingly fighting off a sob as she slides the money across the counter, before losing the battle and quickly departing, making her way towards the restrooms.

Sameen watches as she walks away and furrows her brow at the amount of concern she's feeling towards this practical stranger.

She writes out her name across the top of the cup and then gets to work on a quick doodle of a bathtub, 'You look like you need a break- so I drew you a bath,' she writes beside it.

She looks disgusted with herself after she finishes pouring out the coffee, but what's done is done and she places the cup on the counter and moves to get her things since her shift has officially been over for ten minutes, but Root makes it back to the counter before Sameen makes it to the back and she hears a surprised chocked laugh that escapes Root when she sees the doodle and that makes Sameen pause and turn back around to face her.

Root's eyes meet Sameen's, "Thank you."

Sameen nods and quickly makes her escape before she does anything else that will cause her to question herself later on in the day.

xoxo

"Good mo- Oh, Root, sorry. I didn't realize it was you. I'll have your-"

Root shakes her head, "No, uh. No, thank you. I'll just have a green tea. No milk. Please."

Sameen's eyebrows are in her hair line she's so surprised. Root _never_ drinks tea.

"I just need to try and-" she sighs, "I just need to not wake up."

Sameen realizes that Root must have noticed her surprise and felt the need to explain herself.

"Rough time?" she asks, in her gruff, but not unkind, way.

The coffee shop is empty except for herself and Root, and it's one of those days that start off really slow, and it's the kind of day Sameen usually hates, but she finds she's thankful for it today.

Root bites her lip and nods her head slowly, "Yeah. You could say that. Or you could say that it's been pretty rough going for a long time now."

Slowly nodding to show Root that she's heard her, Sameen reaches behind her for the tea bag and pours in the scalding hot water, "Well, life sort of has a funny way of fucking people ove-"

"Ms. Shaw! That's no way to speak to customers!"

Sameen rolls her eyes at Harold, her boss, but puts on an apologetic look on her face when she turns to look at him, but before she can say anything, Root cuts in, "Oh, don't worry, Sameen and I go way back. I'm not just _anybody_. She's perfect with your customers." A smile being pulled across her face as she addresses Harold.

Harold lets out a sigh of relief, thankful for this piece of information and nods, "Oh! I see. Well then- carry on. Though, I do wish you wouldn't curse as much as you do Ms. Shaw."

He walks away then and misses the face Sameen pulls as she pushes the cup of tea towards Root, "I think that was a sign, letting me know to keep my mouth shut and to not try and converse with customers."

Root just lifts her eyes to meet hers and gives her a much softer smile, genuine, as opposed to the saccharine sweet one she had on earlier for Harold, "Haven't you heard? We go way back; I'm not just _any_ old customer."

Shaw grins and nods, "Yeah, thanks for that."

Lifting her cup up slightly in a salute to her, Root says, "Anything for the best barista."

It's only after Root's nearly out of the coffee shop does she see the doodle on her cup. It's of a toilet roll, with a piece dangling off, barely attached to the rest of the roll with a worried look on its face. The words, 'Hang in there.' underneath.

Root smiles and quickly turns back to find Sameen watching her. Sameen gives her a tiny grin and raises an eyebrow, and Root's smile just grows wider in response.

Sameen smiles to herself for being able to make Root smile even on apparent bad days that are worse than her usual.

xoxo

The doodles and messages don't stop and honestly Sameen doesn't understand why she even feels the need to reach out and do something so human, when normally she would be the one outright walking away from feeling like this.

She doesn't ever try and connect with people, and she hates small talk and pretending to care for the two minutes she's in these people's lives taking their orders- but Root? She just doesn't find herself needing to dig for the right feelings when it comes to this woman. She doesn't have to listen very hard to hear what she's supposed to.

It's easy to hear. Though that doesn't mean she's completely comfortable with how this sad individual has padded her way into her life, and made her do things so sweet, she has a hard time believing that she's really the one doing them.

xoxo

Sameen goes all morning without seeing Root- And that's not unusual, not since Sameen has figured out that she only ever comes by when sad; Sameen is glad on days she doesn't see Root, because it means she's having a good day.

But what _is_ strange is that Sameen does see Root, right outside the shop, as she's leaving at the end of her shift.

Not even thinking about it, she walks over to her, "Root? Is everything alright? Did you want a coffee? I can go back in and make you a- Why didn't you come in?"

Root looks up at Shaw then, and seeing her so lost and sad stops Sameen from asking any more questions.

"I- am so sorry. I don't know why I'm crying like this...or why I even thought to come here, I," Root's voice is wobbly and hoarse, her eyes are brimming with tears and Sameen just doesn't understand why her first instinct is to step closer and try to comfort the woman, rather than to roll her eyes and walk away.

"Look- my place isn't so far. I make a mean cup of coffee at home too. Plus my place doesn't have a bunch of strangers to stare at you if you want to cry."

Sameen offers her arm and she thinks about that gesture the entire walk back home. Root accepts the Sameen's gesture and wraps her arm through and Sameen leads them to her place. 

Root doesn't say anything, but her tears don't stop and it causes an ache to settle at the bottom of Sameen's stomach.

The minute they're both inside the apartment, Sameen goes straight to the kitchen and turns on the coffee maker, pulling down two mugs from the overhead cupboard and putting them on the counter before walking back out to the living room, only to find Root still standing by the door, looking so tiny even though she's taller than Sameen.

"Look, I know this place isn't much, but it's clean and the couch actually really is comfortable."

Sameen grimaces at her delivery, but Root seems to tether herself to that and pulls herself to the present.

She walks over to the couch and sits down and looks even more desperate for direction, but she says, "I didn't picture this being the scenario in which we'd have more than a two second conversation over a coffee shop counter."

Sameen smiles to herself, glad she isn't the only one thinking about the other.

"Yeah, tell me abut it." She pauses then asks, "Did you eat?"

That's a safe place to start. Food.

Sameen frowns when she sees Root shrug as she says, "I can't remember."

"Okay. Well, are you hungry?" Sameen tilts her head as she asks, watching Root carefully.

Shaking her head, Root whispers, "No, I-think I've lost my appetite for some time."

Sameen nods and walks back to the kitchen, "Okay, more for me then."

After pouring out the coffee, Sameen deftly puts together a couple of turkey sandwiches and carries everything with her to the living room.

She stops and picks up a Kleenex box and drops it on the couch between them.

"Here" Sameen says, not unkindly, offering her a cup.

Root reaches for it and then gives her the smallest smile, "No funny drawing to go with this order?"

Sameen shakes her head, "Nah, I don't want to be predictable."

Taking a sip from her own cup, Sameen watches the other woman battle with her emotions for a while, before deciding she was going to break the silence by saying, "I'm Sameen Shaw by the way."

Root turns towards her further and nods before replying, "I'm Root- Samantha Groves."

Sameen instinctively knows she'd rather go by Root, at least for now.

"Look Root, I don't beat around the bush, and normally I wouldn't bother asking at all but I'm gonna go ahead and just outright ask. Why are you crying? What happened?"

Root takes a large gulp of coffee to swallow her tears back before saying, "I don't exactly talk about things usually...Or, more accurately...I wouldn't normally talk in general."

Sameen expects her to stop there and ask her to drop it, but instead Root finds her eyes and keeps their gazes locked, "My mother has just passed away. It's been a long struggle, and for a while we thought she'd make it but uh- she- she's gone and now I just don't know what to do." Her eyes well up as she says this, her hands gripping the mug tightly.

Sameen understands the past few months a lot clearer now, and she can't express how sorry she is that Root has to go through this, "She's not struggling anymore," is all Sameen can think to say, that won't come out lacking.

Root nods her head, "My emotions have just been all over and I can't think clearly. I'm not usually such-" she stops as her tears well up instantly, "I'm sorry," she chokes out as she reaches for the Kleenex, putting the mug on the coffee table and then burying her face in her hands.

Sameen takes a deep breath herself and moves everything away and then slides closer to Root and puts her hand on her shoulder and just rubs back and forth, hopefully in a soothing manner.

xxx

"You're really awkward at this." Root says much later, once she's all cried out, after she returns from washing her face in the bathroom.

Sameen shrugs her shoulders, "I don't usually do 'this' at all. So you either get awkward or nothing at all."

Root takes a deep breath before letting it out and sitting back down beside Sameen, making sure she's looking her in the eyes, "I appreciate it, and I didn't say that it didn't work...just that it doesn't seem like-" she stops and then takes another steadying breath before saying, "Thank you for this. I don't exactly have people I can turn to right now. And I know, you don't usually do this, so."

"What about friends? A boyfriend? A girlfriend?" Sameen asks, sort of surprised, though she really shouldn't be, because someone who has people wouldn't constantly be in her coffee shop alone when sad and having a horrible day.

Root shakes her head, "Nope. Taking care of my mom was at the top of my priorities and you find that people don't really care much after a while; people get tired of you being sad...and then they leave, even when they promised they wouldn't. It's harder to keep relationships when you can't do 'normal' things. It's apparently hard for others to deal with you and your situation if it's for more than a few days. Things get strained and difficult for them and then it's 'tongue in cheek' for them as they try and tip toe around events and fun times they've had without you- Being alone isn't that terrible when you think of the alternative."

Sameen hums, "Your mother must have really appreciated you being around. Not many people would have done what you did."

"Stayed? I know. That's why it was difficult for people to be friends with me. But I wasn't doing anything radical. I love-loved, my mother." she whispers the last line, unable to keep her voice from faltering.

Sameen nods, "Most people don't really see things the way you do Root."

She pushes one of the sandwich towards her then, before grabbing the other and biting into it.

Root doesn't say anything, but she does end up picking her sandwich up and eating and Sameen takes it as a plus and continues not to mention it.

xoxo

"You didn't have to do all of this." Root says quietly, a couple of hours, filled with tears, coffee and turkey sandwiches, later.

"Yeah, I know that. I wanted to." Sameen says simply, walking back in from taking the dishes to the kitchen.

"Why?" The question comes out breathless, as if Root is scared of the answer, or Sameen's reaction to the question.

"Because you're my regular and things would be weird if I saw you and just let you be. And then you would stop coming by and if you did come, it would have been awkward."

Sameen knows that Root and herself know that that reasoning is so far reaching that it could take a selfie with the Hubble Space Station.

Sameen sighs and then gently says, "Because...my shift was over and I could actually try and do what I almost always wish I could do when you come by on your bad days- which is to go up to you and keep you company and, I don't know, try to take your mind off of your bad day."

Root nods her head to let her know she's listening, her ears feel like they're glowing brightly they're so flushed.

Sameen continues, "I don't feel things at a normal level- it's like having the volume turned down low. But seeing you come in as often as you do-it's like you're...my friend and I like to think that I know how to not mess up when it comes to friends."

She pauses and makes sure she catches Root's eyes before saying, "I know it's hard right now. And as awkward as I may be, I'm trying to tell you that you aren't alone right now. You've got all of my 5'3" frame in your corner. Shit gets thrown your way all the time because life's humorous like that, but you don't have to shovel through it alone."

Root had been silently crying, watching as Sameen spoke, and then all at once she's laughing through the tears and clutching at Sameen's arm as more tears flow to mingle with her laughter, and Sameen allows the touch. She lets it go on for as long as Root needs to anchor herself.

xoxo

The doodles don't stop. Months go by and Root still passes by whenever she's feeling low, and Sameen continues to personalize her cups to see her smile.

What does change is that they've struck up a friendship, and it's new to both of them; having someone understand you so wholly and not judge you for it.

After even more time, Root stops coming into the shop only when she's feeling sad. She starts coming by on perfectly good days, just to see Sameen.

And things get easier for Root, and she tells Sameen every chance she gets that it's because of her that things do.

And Sameen tells her to, "Fuck off, you're being mushy again," every time she does, but Root sees the smile on Sameen's face that she tries to hide.

 


	2. Chapter 2

It's been nearly a year since they've met and Root still comes by as often as possible to see Sameen at work. Consistency is really something that the both of them appreciate, at different levels, but they both appreciate it just the same.

"Hi sweetie, how's your day been?" Root asks, smile in place as she steps up to the counter and waits for Sameen to turn back around to face her.

The blank stare she receives, once Sameen does turn, is enough of a give away to the kind of shift she's been having.

"Flat white and a biscotti." Comes Sameen's monotonous voice, calling out to her co-worker and giving out Root's usual plus the biscotti, knowing that she hasn't already eaten, and extending her hand to accept the money for the coffee from Root, having already paid for the biscotti herself.

Before Root can tease her about it, someone else speaks.

"Is this your _girl_ friend? Damn. I mean, she's gotta be something to have _you_ , cuz it sure ain't her sunny personality that's keepin you 'round."

Both women turn to face the intruding voice. They find a perturbed looking man, gaze continuing to shift back and forth between them.

Root guesses that it's customers like him that have been making Sameen's day horrid.

"Excuse me, but I do think you've spilled your coffee on yourself."

His brow furrows, and his hand tightens around his frappuccino before glancing down at himself, "No? I haven’t."

Root raises an eyebrow and leans forward to flick the bottom of his hand so that his cup tilts towards him and spills some coffee on to his shirt.

"What the _fuck_ is _wrong_ with you?! Fucking lunatic! Did you see that?" He bellows, jumping back and away from Root.

Sameen's eyes are wide as she takes in what just occurred, trying and failing to stop from laughing, "Sorry, but you need to be more careful sir."

The man looks to be having a fit, his face is going maroon, "Let me speak to the manager! I demand-"

Sameen rolls her eyes as she turns to go to the back to get Harold, not waiting for the man to finish making his demands.

"I'm sorry that you've lost your drink, but there's no one here that's corroborating your version of events. I'm sorry that you feel so embarrassed that you had this mishap, but please don’t blame the staff, or other loyal customers, for it."

The man walks away with a gift certificate and a foul mood, but leaves behind a rather fantastically good feeling Sameen.

"You didn't have to do that you know." Sameen says, once she's on her break, and the two of them are in the break room sharing lunch.

Root smiles, "Oh, I know- I just don’t like it when people talk about you like that."

Sameen smirks, "Right, you'd rather just poke fun at my sunny disposition on your own."

"Absolutely." Root says easily, taking a bite of her biscotti.

Sameen snorts and continues eating her sandwich.

Teasingly, Root says, "Honey, you really should think about investing in etiquette classes," as she leans forward and gently wipes away what Sameen can only guess is mayonnaise,  from the corner of her mouth.

"I've got you for that; besides, there's no one else to impress." Shrugging nonchalantly, Sameen picks up where she left off with her sandwich after saying that.

Root just smiles at her, head tilted slightly, before chuckling to herself under her breath and delving into a discussion about the students that are with her in the International Relations class she's taking.

Xoxo

"Is your girlfriend going to be showing up Shaw?" John asks as he settles on her couch, grabbing his beer off of the coffee table and taking a long sip.

"She has a name Reese. And it's Root." Pausing, Sameen narrows her eyes at him before continuing, "And she's not my girlfriend."

Zoe chuckles as she pats Sameen on the shoulder, "He's just jealous he doesn't have anyone that cares like you do."

John rolls his eyes, "Sure Zo, that's exactly it. Not because _Root_ acts like Shaw's girlfriend and _this_ one doesn’t have the bal-er…the wits enough to girl the hell up and actually ask her out."

"Reese, shut the hell up. She's my friend and actually doesn't mind that I practically have zero patience when it comes to people and emotions." Sameen says with a scowl on her face, eyes narrowed, daring him to say anything else when Root can arrive at any second.

A knock on the door breaks the tense atmosphere.

"Sameen, sweetie? Could you open the door for me please? My hands are kind of full at the moment." Root's voice calls out from behind the front door.

Sameen doesn't answer and she doesn't have to because Root already knows she's coming to her rescue.

The door swings open and Root gives Sameen a smile and says, "Hi, fancy seeing you here," the moment their eyes meet.

Rolling her eyes good naturedly, Sameen moves out of the way to let her in. Root swiftly steps through and brushes her lips across Sameen's cheek in greeting.

"Thanks Sameen."

Sameen stands stock still for a beat, before breaking out of her reverie to shut the door before going back to the living room where the rest of her nerds sat waiting.

"I wasn't sure what you liked, since John couldn’t tell me, so I hope pepperoni is fine?" Root asks Zoe easily, after the initial pleasantries, smiling as she helps her place the napkins around the table.

Sameen can see that Zoe is charmed already and she smirks because as if there was ever a doubt that they would get along.

"Yeah, that's perfectly fine Root, thank you! That's so considerate."

Zoe throws a pointed look at John, who visibly shrinks at being called out.

Taking a seat beside Root, Sameen goes to grab a slice of pizza from the already opened box but Root places a hand on top of hers to stop her and she quickly explains, "Oh, no honey, that's for the rest of us. You get to have your weird fruity pizza."

Sameen would have growled and defended her choice in pizza had there not been said pizza around for her to devour.

She quickly dives for the other box and promptly rips it open and the grin that overtakes her face is blinding, "You're the absolute best Root, thanks," Sameen says through a mouthful of pizza, and Root smiles at her and turns to take her own slice of pepperoni pizza.

"See? Why can't you even manage to remember what I like, huh John?" Zoe asks playfully, as she smiles at the two women in front of herself and John.

He bumps his shoulder against hers and then says, "I guess I'm just not as good of a significant other as Root is."

Sameen flips him the bird, much to everyone's amusement.

Xoxo

"Okay, but _are_ you two dating?"

Sameen raises an eyebrow at Harold as she continues taking inventory.

He continues, "Not that I have anything against it. I'm simply curious as to how someone so seemingly bright and optimistic can be with someone who's…" he pauses to properly find the words to articulate himself before pressing on, "not _quite_ as bright and optimistic as she is."

Sameen just rolls her eyes as she takes note of the number of coffee filters they still have, still refusing to say anything at all.

"Though, I suppose opposites attract."

He seems to weigh his options before throwing caution to the wind and asking, "Would it be alright, with the two of you, if I used you as a reference in my paper? I'd keep names out of it, if that's what you'd prefer."

Sameen grinds her teeth to keep from telling her somewhat friend to fuck off, especially because this particular somewhat friend is her employer.

Harold hums to himself, not really paying attention to the fact that Sameen is struggling not to flip out at his ignorance, "Well, I'll let you get back to work, and give you time to think about it. Good day Ms. Shaw."

Resting her head against the stack of boxes once he leaves, Sameen sighs out, "Idiots. They're all idiots."

"I'm sure they are sweetie, but how about you stop knocking your head against the shelving unit, before you join them?"

Sameen snorts, but lifts her head to properly greet Root, "How is it that you keep being allowed back here?"

"Don’t you know? I've got inside connections." Root's eyes sparkle as she says this, a dazzling smile on her face.

Sameen likes how she's seeing more and more of her smile with every passing day; a far cry from how despondent she had been in the early days.

"Finch wants to write about us in his paper," Sameen says, turning back to the boxes and checking the numbers against her clipboard, not wanting to be directly facing Root when she says this.

"Oh? I thought it was a study about couples and their differences and similarities...as in _romantic_ couples?" Root questions, an excited glint in her eyes, already knowing the answer.

Putting the clipboard down, Sameen turns to Root and fixes her with a look, "It is."

Root's grin only grows, "That's rather unfortunate, isn't it Sameen? Poor Harry. Should I tell him, or should you?"

Sameen's would-be glare doesn't fall from her face, nor does it deter Root in any way, "What are you trying to get out of me?" She asks.

"Get out of you? What do you mean?" Root asks as innocently as she can.

"Oh stop playing games Root, I'm not doing this," Sameen says seriously, " _Months_. It's been months of Reese, Zoe, Carter, Fusco, strangers and now _Finch_? Months of all of them thinking we're dating. Strangers. Complete strangers think we're dating. It's seriously getting ridiculous."

Root nods her head once, smile still in place as she listens to Sameen, but she's affected by what she's hearing and though she's trying not to let it show, Sameen can tell.

She can tell because the smile doesn't reach her eyes anymore, but Sameen decides she's going to press on, "Not a day goes by where someone doesn’t assume something; not a day goes by where someone doesn't decide to say _some_ thing about it. And it totally ruins everything…because how the hell does one smoothly transition from, 'no we're not dating' to me trying to ask you on a date, without having it sound like I've only asked to stop the pestering questions."

Root's eyes are shining as she looks at Sameen, not daring to even blink, in case she misses a tell, not quite ready to fully let her guard down and believe what she thinks is happening.

"I have the absolute worst friends; I'm sure they'll agree with me there. Because instead of shutting up, and teasing me silently when you're not around, they go ahead and tease and poke fun right in front of you. And not that I'm ashamed or embarrassed, but it really kills the plan when your supposed friends go out on a limb to keep asking if we're dating, when they know I've been meaning to ask you, and I haven't gotten around to it yet."

Sameen shrugs her shoulders, eyebrow raised as she takes a step closer to Root, "I'm an asshole most of the time, but I'm yours, you know? And yeah emotions and people aren't really my thing, but I _do_ care. I actually care a lot, and funnily enough, I care about you. As annoyingly annoying as you can be." She tacks on at the end quickly, causing a smile to spread across Root's face. A real smile. One that makes her eyes shine like waves catching the sun.

"Are you…Are you really asking me out?" Root asks, eyes not once leaving Sameen's, taking a step closer as well, so that they're about a foot apart.

Sameen looks up at Root through her lashes and nods her head, "You know I am Root…Sam. Would you like to go on a date with me? To dinner? We could even sit at the same table and everything."

Root laughs as she nods her head, and breathlessly says, "I would love to."

Reading her body langue, Sameen knows what Root really wants to do, and she's not heartless, so she opens her arms up and rolls her eyes exaggeratedly and nods her head, letting Root know she's willing to accept the hug that Root's dying to give.

Wrapping her arms around Sameen's neck, Root is surprised when she feels Sameen slide her arms around her waist; she wasn't expecting Sameen to be a willing participant in this hug, she was prepared for a one sided hug, with Sameen acting like a receiving post, stoic and straight-backed through it all. What she gets is so much better.

"Don’t get too used to this," Sameen mumbles from her place against Root's shoulder, her head turned so that it's buried in her neck, as her arms tightening further around Root, as she tries to meld the both of them together, "hugs aren't my thing."

Root bites her lip, trying to stop the smile on her face from growing further, and failing miserably, as she continues to hug Sameen closer to her body, "Yes dear."


End file.
